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He said that the Congress high command will decide whether the leadership should be changed or not.
“Budget preparation will start in February, about a month more,” Parameshwara said in response to a question on the leadership issue. If the high command has to decide anything on this issue, then they should decide before that.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “Somebody has to prepare the budget, right? The budget will have to be presented on the basis of the assurance we have given to the people of the state. This will be done.” Amid speculation of a leadership change, Siddaramaiah had said last month that he would present his record 17th budget next year.
The chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented his 16th budget in March. The budget for 2026-27 is likely to be presented in March next year.
Recently, during the Congress Working Committee meeting, when asked about some people protesting in Delhi demanding that Parameshwara be made the CM, the Home Minister said, “Those who say that Parameshwara should become the CM must have said so out of affection for me. How can I tell them not to say such things? You are suggesting that I should tell them not to say such things.”
On reports of a group of Congress leaders meeting AICC general secretary KC Venugopal in Delhi to demand that Parameshwara be made the CM in case of change of leadership, he said, “The Congress high command will have all the information. They will take information from the General Secretary and they also gather information in their own way. “They know what decision has to be taken and when. Whether the leadership should be changed or not. All this will be decided by them only,” he said.
Parameshwara, who has previously been the state Congress chief, had himself said last month that he was also in the race to become the CM. Furthermore, there has been a demand within the Congress for a “Dalit CM” in the event of a change of leadership, with Parameshwara being one of the major contenders.
There is also speculation in party circles that Siddaramaiah’s faction would prefer Parameshwara or other senior leaders for the CM post in case of any change.
Asked about Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain’s statement that there is a 200 per cent chance of Deputy CM DK Shivakumar becoming the chief minister of the state on January 6 or 9, Parameshwara jokingly said, “Once Iqbal Hussain has said it is final. Whether I accept it or not is not a question.” Amid the leadership issue, Siddaramaiah had said in the Assembly on December 19 that he would continue in the post. He had also said that the Congress high command is in his favor and stressed that no decision has been taken on his remaining at the top for only two and a half years.
Responding to this, Shivakumar had said that he and CM Siddaramaiah have come to an agreement with the participation of the Congress high command and both of them will abide by it.